Sansa's Realisation
by IntricateDarkness
Summary: A very short story where Sansa finds out just how deceiving the Lannisters are.


Tyrion Lannister sat opposite his young lady wife with a glass of wine in his right hand. The look they gave to one another was one of such distaste – or so it would seem to the outside eye. Sansa looked away politely to resume her meal and break her fast.

"Do you not wonder why the moon doesn't decide one day to stay resting under the watch of the sun?" Tyrion asked his father, who was also present at the table.

Tywin shot back, "It has to. It is its duty to rise in the night and relieve the sun of its daily duties."

"What if the Gods had given the sun something else to replace the moon, something loved by all?" Tyrion tried. His father's mouth thinned into an even smaller line.

"The sun has given the moon the duty of rising at night. It is its sole purpose, you cannot change that. Now, enough of this small talk, I will not hear any more."

Sansa knew Tyrion was referring to his marriage to her and she actually agreed with his views. His father had insisted he was to marry Sansa in order to claim Winterfell and provide a Lannister heir. The half-man and the traitor, a perfect match; it was terribly unfair to the both of them. Yet, she had taken a liking to the dwarf, as he has been kind to her and never once forced her into something she did not want to do. Though, she imagined, it would be less pleasant to be married to his older brother, Jaime, the Kingslayer. How she despised that man and his obnoxious personality. How she reviled the whole Lannister family, Tyrion less so. The imp is kinder than the knight; she recalled thinking when she first acquainted the both of them.

During her stay at King's Landing she had realised one thing: the Lannisters were not loyal to their family, only their family name. They were cunning as foxes, yet true to their sigil and brave as lions. And here she found herself, the lone wolf in the lions' den waiting for her chance to escape.

She excused herself from the table and walked to her bed chamber, where she found Shae arranging her hair pins in front of the looking glass. She looked up at the sound of Sansa entering the room and smiled softly. Sansa did not feel like returning the favour as she had a terrible headache, but she was a lady and she must observe her courtesies.

"M'lady, are you okay?" Shae may not have been in King's Landing long but she knew Sansa just as well as she knew herself.

"I am fine, thank you. I'm just a little tired and I have an awful headache since last night, the wine..." She trailed off. Shae brought her to sit down on the edge of her bed. She had changed the sheets to a fine silk, one of the deepest reds Sansa had seen. As much as she loved the riches and the jewels she had presented to her whilst she was living in the Red Keep, yet she missed the wools and furs of Winterfell. She trailed one hand gently along the fabric and looked up at Shae.

"I won't ever go home, will I?" Her sullen eyes welled up with tears. She had come to the realisation that home will never be the same as it once was. The Lannisters killed her father, the Freys and Lord Bolton murdered her mother and eldest brother, Arya was missing and Winterfell had been burned to ashes by Theon Greyjoy. Shae held her hand.

"M'lady, I cannot say. But for now this is your home, as it is mine. I dislike it as much as you do, trust me." She opened her mouth to say more, but the door had opened and Tyrion waddled in, his short legs struggled to walk straight.

"I apologise for interrupting you, my lady." He nodded his acknowledgement to Shae. "But I am afraid you are being summoned by my _sweet_ sister, Cersei. What she wants now, I have no idea but do not be alarmed," For an expression of worry flashed across Sansa's face. "She simply wants you to join her for a drink."

"Yes, my lord." Sansa answered.

"Please, call me Tyrion." He replied as she exited the room.

She had closed the door and walked a few steps across the paved tiles, until she realised she had not asked her husband where the Queen was residing. The castle was vast filled with hundreds of rooms still unknown to Sansa. She turned back towards her bed chamber and lifted her hand to open the door, when she heard Shae and Tyrion talking in hushed voices. Quietly she pressed herself against the wall in such a way so that the door would not shift.

"Keep your voice down, nobody can hear." Tyrion's voice floated through the cracks in the wooden door.

"Why should I? Nobody is here?" Shae answered.

"Because, my sweet, if someone finds out, they will, they will take you away from me."

Sansa felt puzzled. Why was he talking to her as if he knew her?

"I'm sure you will protect me. After all, you are my lion." The flirtatious tone rang throughout the room. Sansa felt her face flush red.

"Of course I will, for you are mine. But we cannot do anything here, there are too many people." There was a small pause. "Do not leave me. I need you."

"Ha! Where would I go?" Shae joked.

"Nowhere without me."

"Come, m'lord. Let's just go and leave this place. I hate it here. Let's cross the sea and live somewhere else, Asshai maybe."

"Hmm, I would like that very much." Tyrion said as Shae giggled. The room fell silent except for the noise of their kisses, sighs and murmurs.

Sansa was disgusted at what she was hearing. Her husband having an affair with her hand maiden, her best friend! She felt her stomach churn, she knew she wasn't the first choice Tyrion would have chosen to marry but he had said the sacred words, he was to serve her and her only. Not betray her and run away with his hand maiden!

She wanted to burst into the room and catch them both red handed, but what then? What would she do? Sansa felt her headache pounding, how could he do this to her? The one person who promised to protect her lied through his teeth. She should have known.

She heard footsteps approaching the door and quickly hid behind a corner, concealed from the view of anyone leaving the room. It was Shae. She felt a surge of jealousy rise through her and she broke down completely. Not even her best friend could be trusted in this castle of liars. She gathered her skirts and made her way to meet the Queen Regent. If she was married to a Lannister, she would learn to live like a Lannister.


End file.
